Thursday, March 31, 2011

The Republican Meaning of a Constitutional Republicblic

The Republican Meaning of a ConstitutionalRepublic

Some could say that no one is fooled by the rational of the Republican dominated legislature in justifying the law requiring teachers to teach that the United States is not a democracy but instead is a constitutional republic. They are wrong. The public is fooled because it has been conditioned to be fooled. It has been fooled into the belief that only their definition of a constitutional republic can describe a government capable of providing the moral and political leadership necessary for the people’s well-being.

In Utah this conditioning is related to the culture. People are taught from infancy to old age that adherence to the wisdom of higher authorities, whether religious or secular, is necessary to insure the orderly conduct of society. The authorities are right and to challenge that authority can lead to immorality and chaos. So here then is the Utah Legislature. Most are highly religious, and many have been leaders in their respective church and political organizations. They have been imbued with the mindset that people must have authoritative leaders who know what is best for them. It’s not important for the people to know the basis for their leaders decisions, hence a law that eviscerates any requirement for transparent government.

How often is the frequent words of ministers, priests, and bishops heard that refers to the members as their flock. The term has innocent meaning to those who use it, but the meaning has substance to others who see it differently. Sheep are considered to be inherently weak by nature and, because of this, need firm and authoritative control. In the case of the human flock, the higher authority is necessary in order to provide appropriate guidance on the path of righteousness.

It’s counterproductive for the people to interfere with the legislature by countermanding its decisions through popular referendums, hence a law that makes referendums almost impossible. It doesn’t matter that virtually every legal transaction between a citizen and a state agency is available for processing and signature online. In order to curtail the nonsense of a citizen referendum that might reverse the legislature’s “just” laws, they simply declare that online petition signatures are illegal.

In view of the inherent weakness of the populous and its need for moral leadership, the job of the legislature is to define and enforce the acceptable morality by which the masses must comply, hence the enactment of ludicrous liquor laws designed to curtail consumption to the highest extent possible. It doesn’t matter that these laws may be the laughing stock of the rest of America. What does the rest of America know about morality?

Because of the greater effectiveness of a constitutional republic it’s not really necessary that we have a strong two party political system. In fact a two party system only detracts from the focus of the rightful authorities to determine what is best for the populous. The other party must never be allowed to attain power because only the majority party has the moral leadership qualities to govern. This of course is more than adequate reason to institute the worst gerrymandering of political districts in the country.

It’s not necessary for the people to know or question the ethical issues raised when well healed special interests purchase legislation that favors their interests. The politicians involved often claim they receive valuable assistance from those interests. Many are in partnership with those interests. If they are questioned about the ethics of their actions, they can simply state that they are far beyond being influenced by the many gifts and campaign donations they receive or the legislation favorable to the interests they promote. As eminent and principled leaders of the people their intentions should not be questioned.

Republicans like to make the case that democracy is synonymous with chaos and that a pure democracy would lead to confusion and disarray. It’s a self serving justification that encompasses the real Republican ideological agenda. It’s an agenda that says that only a supremely qualified, and selective leadership is fit to govern the people. They may be elected or appointed through some democratic process, but once in the leadership position, it is they and they alone who are the most eminently qualified to make decisions for the people regardless of whether the decisions are popular or not. That’s why a constitutional republic has always been necessary.

A far right Republican Legislature that constantly decries Federal mandates and overreach has no problem imposing their own mandates on the state’s cities and counties whenever they stray from the ideological beliefs that the legislature holds true. Hence we see punitive laws aimed at corrective action against wayward city and county ordinances that deviate from the far right policies of the legislature. The legislature simply knows better how the cities and counties should behave.

Many people assume that the recent legislation requiring abstinence-only or no sex education at all in our schools is nothing more than the fulfillment of the legislature’s moral and religious beliefs. This assumption is only partially correct. The real reason for the legislation is to prohibit parental discretion in requesting that their school teach sex education to their children. By prohibiting parental choice the legislature is simply exercising its responsibility in insuring that parents comply with it’s “just” moral values.

In view of the conditioning, it’s no secret that Utah is the scam capital of the nation. It is a society of unquestioning trust in its higher authorities. Many of the most fraudulent schemes that people have been sucked into were perpetrated by people who prayed on the unquestioning trust of church members. Remember they are the ones who were taught since birth to be compliant and trusting members of the flock.

So here again is the Utah legislature. Since they always know what’s best for the people their pre-eminence as leaders should not to be questioned. It is a leadership determined to annually pass legislation that in some cases are ludicrous, and in other cases unconstitutional and draconian. The most draconian laws may result in widespread outrage and even a successful referendum campaign where polls show that huge majorities are in support. However, this only results in even greater determination by the legislature to counterman the referendum, if only through a series of obscure changes in the law that will eventually meet the same ends.

It doesn’t matter that education funding in Utah is dead last in the nation. More education only results in more troublemakers. These are people who because of education are more knowledgeable, informed, and susceptible to disagree with the laws being proposed. They are also people who are also more conscious of the environment, the legitimacy of science over religious superstition, and more outraged at the hypocrisy and self serving opportunism of the politicians they elect.

With all the self serving hypocrisy, cronyism, and corruption these people are famous for, no one should be deluded here. With the next political election the same self serving, corruption ridden politicians who pass their legislation will be elected again by huge margins. The justification for a Constitutional Republic rather than a democracy will again be rubber stamped by all.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Pages

An Irreplaceable Landscape

About Me

I was business manager as well as writer/editor for Sandstone Editing, a technical writing and edition business. Prior to that,I worked for the U.S. Forest Service and D.O.E. in Human Resources and Management Analysis. I currently write commentaries in support of progressive issues and activities.